A beaut Spring morn saw eight chirpy cyclists cast off from the Turra' car park, spot on eight bells. The Smiling Assassin and Suicide Blonde screamed off together as they plummeted precariously into the hair-raising descent of Bobbin Head leaving a trail of burnt rubber for others to follow.

Big Cog Mark claimed his first KOM at Kalkari Reserve whereupon we increased one more rider, Rabbit Warren.

Two fine Pelotons formed the morning’s pattern up the OPH. The first, a tightly knit one of about seven metres consisted of Mark, Warren, Pete, Ian, Siggy and Marea. The second (and more impressive) one of a looser tension altogether stretched out over two kilometres.

Just prior to the Mount White climb, Smiling Sig, who’d already been dropped by the first Peloton got dropped again by the Widget. He must have had a stitch she mused.

At our first Pit Stop, Mount White, a popular waterhole for wild beasts, it was discovered that all the chairs were taken…..

On leaving that leafy loop, it was declared "not a race" back to Pie in the Sky, our designated lunch stop (chuckles all round). Big Cog Mark and Rabbit Warren shared the glory on that hilltop scramble. Although Fastidious Phil got his revs (and no doubt his blood pressure) right up there with the best of them, hell bent on beating a few of his old adversaries to the summit. Where was Marea? She’d been going like a bat out of hell all morning. Turned out she kept dropping bits off her bike and had to dismount to retrieve them.

At our favourite PIS STOP (Pie In Sky) we encountered Man of the Match, Mark - training for the Simpson Desert Ride. He was enjoying the solitude of a sunny arvo while snaffling the covetous Blueberry Pie 'n cream on a big white desert bowl. Not for long though. Our numbers were on the increase yet again when Epical Eric dropped in. It is official folks, THE FATMAN, alias Papa Bear, is out of ‘Winter Hibernation Mode’ and into ‘Full on Training mode’. His familiar mantra being "We have to train for the Audax", however, perhaps at the moment "FATSO for FITZ’s".

Much as the sound of locusts reminds of Summer, it was good to see the Burgeoning Behemoth back and he banged his gums and regaled his tales to an attentive audience - attentive, not 'cause the Muggs suddenly developed a few manners, rather 'cause the sun was pleasant and we weren't in any hurry to leave it. Eric even enlightened us as to his deprived German childhood when the only toys he had to play with were British Tanks at the bottom of his garden. Upon his return from Europe, Eric had read all the Bullsheets and dished out the accolades for the new journo.

By this time we were all getting hot under the collar. Was it all the hot air coming from Eric or was it the First Signs of Spring making their appearance? Not daffodils and frolicking lambs - we’re talking suntan lotion and sweating bodies. People began stripping off their sweaters and all their under layers with much gusto. Ian, the lecherous Limey tried unsuccessfully to get the girls to do likewise. Soon there were no more clothes to take off but it was time to take ourselves off. Maria had snuck a Phil and was already on the road and she couldn’t be caught up to on her best leg of the day.

The wind was rising rapidly and Widget was baffled. Hadn’t she checked with Hubby just the previous night about the likelihood of high winds? Everyone knows her aversion to that nasty seasonal element. He had told her to check the Isobars. The poor girl often gets her wool in a tangle at the best of times and thought Hubby said to "check the ‘icebars’". After looking in the fridge she told him that they were few and far between. To which he replied that it wouldn’t be windy then. Was he referring to that map in the Herald with all the squiggly circles not the ‘coolbox’?

Ian was in fine fettle despite a hard racing session with the Macarthur Club the previous day. The last hill climb of the ride saw him surge past Pacific Pete and Pedantic Phil in a very fraught and frantic final contest to the summit after PJ had set a healthy pace. Mark A. again took out the fastest average - 25.4kms, but what else is new. Sig's MAX was 82kms, but even he doubted it.

To sum up – a very good effort by everyone to get it all finally finished in time to enjoy FATHERS’ DAY.